Start of Term 2 - Who to Contact
Due to personal circumstances, both Deeann Daniels and Anne Smith, our Deputy Principals, will be away for the first two weeks of Term 2. During this time Cassie Woodhouse (Hub Coach Year 4/5 and leadership team member) cassie@bellevue-newlands.school.nz or myself principal@bellevue-newlands.school.nz will be your first port of call for any questions or concerns regarding children in any area of the school that are not able to be responded to or resolved directly with the classroom teacher.
Thanking The Trusts Community Foundation
We are currently seeking grants towards the second stage of our accessible playground in the lower part of the school and are delighted to share that The Trusts Community Foundation has approved a grant of an incredible $100, 000 towards this. This will cover approximately half of the ‘ideal’ plan so we are seeking the balance currently. Should these applications be unsuccessful the generous grant received from The Trusts Community Foundation ensures that we are still able to pursue a modified plan for something meaningful to improve this play area. We would also like to thank Amanda Beauchamp, our Grants Officer who work her magic with these applications on a regular basis to secure additional funding for our school.
Kathryn Berkett - Sharing the Learning
Many of our team attended one of two free PLD sessions laid on by the NZEI (union for principals, teachers and support staff) over the past two weeks. The theme of these sessions was ‘Complex Behaviour - Helpful Approaches’. Kathryn Masters in Educational Psychology, and has certified as a trauma response practitioner and has extensive experience in this area. She has worked and trained, nationally and internationally, on the subject of neuroscience for over fifteen years. Kathryn shared many good messages about the importance of children being ‘ready for learning’ - operating from their prefrontal cortex (the decision making, logical part of the brain). She talked about the impact of an over sensitised stress response on readiness for learning - when children have an increased sense of threat or risk (which can be caused by previous trauma or by neurodiversity and the impact of our day to day society on a brain that functions differently), explaining that until we increase a child’s sense of safety they cannot access learning tasks. She also described some of the strategies we can use as parents or as educators to address this. For those interested in understanding more, we recommend the videos on THIS PAGE of Kathryn’s website, in particular the ‘Managing Behaviour’ and Red Brain, Green Brain’ videos - scroll down.
In school, when students are confused by what they may perceive as an over the top reaction to a situation - physical or verbal - we encourage them to remember and follow the mantra below. This provides all children involved the opportunity to ‘reset’ and helps keep them all safe.
Stop talking
Walk away
Get adult help
Hub Leaders - Acknowledgement of Children Demonstrating our School Values
Congratulations to our Hub Leaders for this term:
Mānuka Hub - Harrison, Alfie, Davina and Moetu.
Nīkau Hub - Jacob, Sage, Anant, Zoe and Ettie.
Rātā - Ashton, Marcus and Annalise
Rimu/Tōtara- Hunter E, Anna, Liam V, Leith, Inudi, Bella
Kāhikatea - Icazia, Anahera, Toby D, Ana
These students are selected by their hub teachers for consistently taking the lead in demonstrating the school values. In line with our Positive Behaviour for Learning philosophy, we acknowledge students who show the behaviours that we value at our school. A few students are selected for this honour each term and their picture, with a little outline of why they were selected, is displayed in the hub. Then, in the last week of term, they join me for a special morning tea laid on by the school to say thank you.
Activity Fees & Donations - Thank You!
We want to extend our thanks to our community for your response to our plea for school donations and the activity fees to be paid.
We are delighted to share that already (only 25% of the way through the year) our Activity fee donations are currently at 50% paid and donations are not far behind at 44%! We recognise that times are hard for families and so feel especially grateful for this response. As you can see from the newsletter there are many trips, upcoming gymnastics opportunities and school shows. We are really making the most of what you provide to provide the children with the best all round learning experiences.
One Hour a Day
I wanted to share key points from an article I read recently clarifying the ‘One Hour a Day’ messaging about Reading, Writing & Mathematics that was driven largely by the media (Full Article HERE). At times of politicla change, this cautions us to go back to the policy, rather than become part of the media hype.
Excerpts below:
In education, this cycle is familiar: new government, new policy, new media flurry. School leaders and teachers, already exhausted and overstretched, barely have time to catch their breath—let alone dissect the original policy wording.
So, interpretation happens elsewhere:
Politicians on breakfast TV framing it as a crackdown on ‘failing schools.’
Commentators implying schools aren’t already teaching these core subjects daily.
Parents wondering if their child’s classroom is now ‘non-compliant.’
What Does the Policy Actually Say?
It might surprise many to learn that the one-hour mandate, as published on the Tahurangi website, reads very differently: “On average, students will spend an hour each school day on reading, writing, and maths.”
It goes further:
“Teachers will deliberately and purposefully dedicate time to teaching these core skills. Teaching techniques like investigations, collaborative learning, and games will continue to be used so students stay engaged with their learning.”
Instead, the intent is clear:
Purposeful instruction.
Ongoing literacy and numeracy focus.
Acknowledgement that good teaching integrates engagement, not endurance.
If we misunderstand this policy it may lead to minutes counted.
Children seated, focused on literacy and/or numeracy for the full block.
Rich inquiry or play-based learning paused or being “squeezed out”, because “we need to meet the hour.”
Other curriculum subjects (think the arts, science, social sciences) reduced or becoming non existent in classrooms.
This is not better literacy and numeracy teaching. It is survival teaching—done because “we have to,” not because “this is what our kids need.” And in that shift, the policy’s intent is lost.
Grace’s Colour Competition
Congratulations to Grace in Year 6 who won a box of goodies from Qizzle for the school thanks to her colouring competition entry. We will put it all to good use. This is the second year in a row Grace has entered and won the coloring competition. Well done Grace!
Home Learning Review
This is your last week for providing your feedback to inform our approach to Home Learning from Term 3 onwards - the survey HERE closes at 5pm on Friday.
Rubbish pick up
It is always good to see (and acknowledge) those children who are taking care of our school ‘just because’ the photo below is of a group of students who gave up several of their break times just to tidy up. Ka Rawe!!
This Week In Your Child’s Hub
In addition to this newsletter, which aims to bring you the ‘big picture’ of what is happening across the school, don’t forget to take a look at your child’s Seesaw page to get the weekly updates ‘This Week in Mānuka/Nīkau….etc’ from your child’s hub teachers about what they have been up to in the classrooms.
Maths Quiz Answers
For those keen to know the answers to our Maths Week Quiz from the last newsletter - please see the image below.
As we head into the term break we wish you a restful couple of weeks with some family time and look forward to welcoming our tamariki back on Monday 28 April.
Ngā mihi
Annette
A reminder that our fortnightly newsletters can also be found on our Bellevue Website - scroll down to view 'previous Bellevue Newsletters' - and for more timely updates, you could follow our closed group Bellevue Facebook Page, if you are not already.
